Unable to overcome lopsided odds, the New Orleans Pelicans didn't secure one of the top three spots in Tuesday night's NBA draft lottery and was forced to surrender their first-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Pelicans had only a 4.0 chance of keeping their first-round pick because of the deal General Manager Dell Demps made last summer to acquire starting point guard Jrue Holiday, who was limited to 34 games this season because of a stress fracture injury to his right tibia.

The Pelicans finished 10th in the lottery, allowing the 76ers to secure the pick.The Cleveland Cavaliers won the lottery, earning the No. 1 pick for the second consecutive year despite having only a 1.7 percent chance. It's the the third time in four years, the Cavaliers have won the lottery.

The Milwaukee Bucks will pick second, despite having the highest odds at 25 percent after finishing the season with the worst record in the NBA at 15-67. In addition to securing the Pelicans' first-round pick,the 76ers also earned the third overall pick. Taking advantage of trades, Philadelphia has five picks in the second round after finishing with the second-worst record in the league at 19-63.

Under the terms of the trade the Pelicans made with the 76ers last June, if the Pelicans had finished any spot past five in the lottery, Philadelphia would get their pick for the June 26 NBA draft.

Based on their 34-48 record, the Pelicans headed into the lottery slotted at 10th and were unable to land either the fourth and fifth picks.

With Demps representing the Pelicans at the draft lottery in New York,New Orleans had only a 1.1 chance of landing the No. 1 pick, a 1.3 chance of selecting second and 1.6 chance to pick third. But the Pelicans had an 87-percent chance of remaining at 10th.

When the Pelicans won the lottery in 2012 for the right to select star forward Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick, they had to overcome 13.7 percent chance.

The 14 teams that did not make the playoffs will participate in the draft lottery to determine what franchises will be slotted for the top three picks. After the first three picks are determined, picks four through 14 were slotted based on their records.

As part of the trade deal on draft night last June, the Pelicans sent center Nerlens Noel, the sixth overall pick in the first round, along with their 2014 pick (protected 1-5) in exchange for Holiday and point guard Pierre Jackson, the 76ers' second-round pick in last year's draft. Jackson played in the NBA Development League and in Europe this season, but the Pelicans still hold his rights.

Unless Demps makes a trade to secure a pick, it will be the first time New Orleans won't have a selection in the two rounds of the draft since 2002.

''Last year when we made the trade we knew we weren't going to be in this year's draft,'' Demps said during his season-ending news conference last month.''Players that are coming into the league are so young now,'' Demps said. ''I like the guys that we have on our roster. Obviously, if we can get a draft pick that improves your roster.''

The Pelicans are likely to upgrade their roster through free agency. Although they are not likely to make a push to sign a maximum-money free agent, the Pelicans have $7.5 million in cap room to get a proven small forward or experienced center.